Day 1: Thursday, October 1 |
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| Gaming Grant Myth Busting Community Gaming Branch Session
David Pyatt and Amy Bond
Community Gaming Grants can be a valuable source of funding. In this session, Amy Bond and David Pyatt separate fact from fiction about eligibility, applications, and reporting requirements for Community Gaming Grants Whether you're new to the grant process or looking to improve your success rate, you'll leave with the knowledge and confidence to navigate Community Gaming Grants more effectively.
David Pyatt is the Executive Director of the Community Gaming Grants Branch, based in Victoria, British Columbia. A Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), David brings more than 25 years of experience in financial management, public administration, and governance. Since joining the BC Provincial Government in 2001, David has held a variety of leadership and financial roles, including the past decade with the Community Gaming Grants Branch, where he oversees programs that support communities and non-profit organizations across the province. Amy Bond is the Manager of Policy and Outreach with the Community Gaming Grants Branch. She has worked extensively in community engagement, program delivery, and public policy, with a particular focus on supporting nonprofit organizations and strengthening relationships between communities and government. Drawing on experience in both the nonprofit and public sectors, Amy regularly collaborates with stakeholders across British Columbia to improve access to funding programs and support organizational success. |
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| Revenue Diversification
What's Possible for Non-Profits
Farah Nassarall
Join us for a dynamic one-hour workshop on revenue diversification for non-profits and charities. In this session, we’ll explore the shifting funding landscape and why traditional approaches alone are no longer enough to sustain and grow impact. more resilient and sustainable financial model. Whether you're just starting to explore new revenue options or looking to strengthen your current approach, this session will help you rethink what’s possible and identify practical next steps for your organization.
Farah Nazarali is the Program Facilitator for Thriving Non-Profits. She has spent most of her career in the non-profit and charitable sector, with experience across arts, media, and social and environmental organizations. Her expertise includes turning big visions into practical goals, providing accountability, and asking strategic questions that unlock new possibilities. She is also skilled in conflict resolution, helping create cohesion and alignment. At Thriving Non-Profits, she facilitates the cohort program, supporting leaders to diversify revenue and strengthen financial sustainability.
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| Advocacy 101 Melissa Caralho and Beatriz Grigsby-Larson
The Global Public Affairs team, leveraging their understanding of the mechanics and processes of government, will provide an introductory session on what advocacy is, why it’s important, and how it can be incorporated in your organization.
Melissa Carvalho is an Associate Vice President for Western Canada at Global Public Affairs, with 15 years of experience in strategic engagement, advocacy, and issues management. Drawing on her experience in the Alberta and B.C. public services, as well as government relations and stakeholder engagement, Melissa supports clients in achieving their strategic goals.
Beatriz Grigsby-Larson is a Senior Consultant at Global Public Affairs’ Vancouver office, where she provides support through client relations, research and communications. She oversees clients in the Health and Life Sciences and other practice groups and brings experience across the public, private and non-profit sectors, including research, environmental consulting, immigration and political campaigns. |
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| BCLC Connections Bingo Hour In this fun and engaging session, BCLC will lead a bingo game that encourages connection.
At the end of this session you'll know a few more people and have new networking skills you can put to use. For over 40 years, BCLC has been bringing people together through shared moments of connection, helping them feel part of something bigger than themselves. Now they’re taking their social purpose journey to the next level by striving to put human connection at the heart of everything they do.
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| AI Adoption A Practical AI Framework for Nonprofits Sarah Downey
Curious about how to take advantage of AI without compromising your organization’s mission, values, or community trust? Join this session to explore a practical AI governance framework built for nonprofits. You'll discover how to assess AI use cases, recognize common mistakes organizations make when creating AI policies, and apply a simple framework to make confident decisions about AI adoption. Whether you're just beginning to explore AI or you want to develop a more structured approach, you'll gain actionable insights you can put to work right away.
Sarah Downey has twenty years’ experience working at the intersection of nonprofit leadership, strategy, and systems change, leading three charities as Executive Director.She holds an Executive MBA from Quantic School of Business and Technology and has worked extensively with generative AI since 2023. At Sarah Downey Consulting she helps Canadian nonprofit leaders adopt AI to support the people, values, and missions that matter most
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| Plenary Q&A with Community Gaming Branch Team David Pyatt, Amy Bond, David Roh, and Harmeet Johal
After a day of learning you may have questions about Community Gaming Grants. Even if you don’t have questions of your own, it’s worth hearing the questions your peers ask. Everyone walks away from the Q&A session with a greater understanding of Community Gaming Grants. This year David Pyatt and Amy Bond will be joined by David Roh and Harmeet Johal who will share their perspective as Auditors. This is a rare opportunity to exchange ideas with the Gaming Branch. David Roh is an Auditor with the Community Gaming Grants Branch. He brings a background in financial analysis, accounting, and public-sector financial management, having worked with the BC Public Service and the City of Vancouver before joining Community Gaming Grants. Harmeet Johal is an Auditor with Community Gaming Grants and began her career with the BC Public Service in 2006 after graduating from university. In her 20-year career she has worked as a Financial Analyst with the Public Guardian and Trustee of BC, an Auditor with Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch, and now as an Auditor with the Community Gaming Grants Branch. She is dedicated to educating the charities and non-profit organizations in BC of their roles and responsibilities in relation to gaming grants. |
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| Legal Implications of Using AI & Other Legal Issues for Non-Profits With Fulcrum Law From AI-generated content to data privacy and organizational liability, the legal landscape for nonprofits is evolving rapidly. In this informative session, the team from Fulcrum Law will examine the legal implications of using AI and highlight other important legal issues that nonprofit leaders should be aware of. Gain practical insights to help your organization reduce risk, stay compliant, and confidently navigate emerging challenges. Kiyan Seyedi is the founder and principal lawyer at Fulcrum Law, where he brings a wealth of legal experience to his clients. Driven by a vision to disrupt traditional legal services, Kiyan aims to build a next-generation law firm that leverages technology for efficient, tailored, and accessible legal solutions. He believes in creating a legal ecosystem that breaks free from conventional and stuffy ways of practice. Katherine Negahdar is an Associate Lawyer at Fulcrum Law, where she brings a genuine, relationship-first approach and a background in civil and commercial litigation to deliver a thoughtful, trustworthy client experience. For her, law is rooted in real business and human context, not just technical rules. |
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| How to Save Time and Win More Grants Using ChatGPT Jessica Vestergaard
Discover how AI tools like ChatGPT can help streamline your grant writing process. AI can be a powerful fundraising tool when used thoughtfully and effectively. In this session, you’ll learn practical ways to use AI to draft successful grant applications, while keeping your expertise and voice at the heart of the process. Jessica Vestergaard is the founder of Written With Purpose, a grant writing practice that helps Canadian charities win more grants so they can do more good. Over the past two years, Jessica has raised nearly $5 million for programs supporting youth, seniors, women, and mental health initiatives.
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| Collaboration Across the Void Working with a Board of Directors Karen Mason-Bennett
Have you ever wondered what the heck a board does or why you never get to see yours? Understanding the role of a board of directors is integral to working collaboratively to achieve your mission and vision. Most governance sessions focus on the role of the board, but this one focuses on the perspective of the employee. From grant writing to strategic directions, this session will explore how staff responsibilities dovetail with board responsibilities to make the magic happen.
Karen Mason-Bennett is passionate about Board Governance and the health of non-profits. As a previous Executive Director and current board member for three provincial boards, her experience includes successes and challenges on both sides of a governance relationship. She has applied for millions of dollars in grants and knows the anxiety of a tight budget and unlimited dreams.
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| Understanding Financial Statements with CPA BC Financial statements tell an important story about your organization's financial health, but they can be difficult to interpret without the right knowledge. This practical workshop will demystify key financial concepts and help participants better understand income statements, balance sheets, cash flow, and financial performance. Learn how to assess how your organization is doing, understand why cash and surplus are not the same thing, and confidently ask informed questions of financial professionals. Whether you're new to nonprofit finance or looking to strengthen your financial literacy, you'll leave with valuable tools to support better decision-making. This workshop is part of the CPA BC Financial Literacy Program. Te Program delivers unbiased and objective financial education to British Columbians and Yukoners of all ages. After this workshop, you can explore their other free financial literacy sessions and request one or more for your community. |
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